Coupler releasing means



' G. EDMUNDS COUPLER'RELEASING MEANS Filed. Nov. 25; 1956 June 23, 1959 Om Vm mm INVENTOR, GLENN E.EDMUNDS,

, mm m. N Om :The instant invention'rela'tes to couplers'of the type used in connecting carsina train and, more particularly,

provides improved structure for releasing couplers in order to separate the cars of the train.

It is'the prime object of the instant invehtion to provide an improved-releasing means for a coupler.

"I tisfanothe r object of 'the instant invention'to provide anfiinproved releasing means for afcoiiplerjin which'the "releasing means is operative in 'all positions ofthe coupier.

v I 1 is t nn r-onset e hane-sat martian to provide an'ir'riproved rel easing means'fora coupler inwhi'ch the releasing means may be operated non ense position on the car, such as theaperater'sstatian.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide acouple'r having an improved releasing means including a linkage which'is'connect'ed tone coupler and is adapted to swing with the coupler about a vertical axis, "and further including means foroperating the linkage to release the coupler in any position of the latter. v Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims. I

11 h p nyi ,s W s r. Fig. l ijs an eleyational view of a pair of cars connected by couplers which includes the coupler releasing means of the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the end of a car and showing the coupler and the improved releasing means therefor;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the end of the car showing the coupler and the improved releasing means therefor;

Fig. 4 shows certain details of the linkage for operating the coupler releasing means; and

Fig. 5 shows certain details of the coupler lock.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 a locomotive of the type customarily used in mines to haul a train of cars which carry the coal from the mine. The locomotive 10 may be connected to another locomotive or to an adjacent one of the train of cars 11 which carry the coal. The locomotive 10 and the cars 11 are connected to each other by couplers 12, which are mounted at each end of the locomotive or cars for swinging movement on a vertical axis in order to permit the train to round curves.

The coupler 12 comprises a jaw 13 formed with an integral pulling lug 14 and a lock 15. The couplers 12 on adjacent cars are similarly ttormed but are oppositely disposed with respect to each other so that the pulling lug 14 of one coupler 12 will engage within the jaw 13 of the adjacent coupler 12. The lock 15 serves to hold the pulling lugs of the adjacent couplers 12 engaged within the jaws 13.

The lock 15 is reciprocally mounted within the coupler 12 and is formed with a rearwardly extending shank 16, which is received within the bore 17 in a plate 18. A spring 19 is interposed between the plate 18 and the rear of the lock 15, acting to maintain the lock 15 in its foreitwefie Patent Qfifie M 'the'm ode of operation of the coupler shown in the draw- 29of the lock lever 24 by a pin3 2,891,683 Patented June-23,1959

wardmost position, illustrate'dinlFig. '2. Amazing to in'g's, whenit is desired to separate the 'carsin a train the lock 15 is drawn'r earwardly i'n oppositionto thepres'sure of the spring 19 and the cars are then'moved apart. the lock 15 retracted the pulling lug 14is free to slideout from engagement with the "jaw 13 of the coupler 12. When it is desired to engage the couplers on adjacent cars, the two cars need merely be pushedtogetherand the pulling lug '14'is operative to cause "the retraction of the lock 15 in opposition to the spring 19, whereby'the pulling lug will [slide into the jaw 13, releasingtlfedock 15 and thereby engaging the couplers not the adjacent cars.

The 'coupler 12 has arm 20 which extends'rarwardly to the car 11 through the wall 21 thereof, which is formed'with a laterally f extending opening 22 to permit swingingrhovement ofthe coupler 12 with respect'to the car 11. Therear end of the arm 20 is supported by a pin 23 which mounts the coupler 12 for oscillation about a vertical'axis. g

As previously stated, the couplers'f12 an adjacent cars '11 maybe disengaged by retraction of the lock 15 from the position thereof shown in Fig. 2. This is accomplished through the useof the lock lever '24, which is mounted on 'the coupler 12 "by a pin 25 for oscillatory movementin a vertical plane. One arm 26 0151116 lock lever extends 'iritoithe body of the coupler 12ai'1d is j formed at'the end'the'i'eof with alaterally extending pin 27, whichexteiids'into ah openingZS in the rear'of the I lock "15. It'will be apparent that clockwiseoscillation of tlielock lever 24 on th'e pin2'5 causes the laterallyex- 'tendin'g'pin 27 to retract the lo c k"1 5 The lock lever 24 is f or'nie-d with a sba j2 9 which extendsisubstanti'ally laterally with respect to the'firs't The arm 29' const itute s the eleme'nt for actuating the lock'leve'r 24, asdescribedherein p I 4 o ,A sea en etted s i k i "0e tEt .i h fin The't'op o the iik 30 is connected by a pin 32 to the end of an operating lever 33, which projects laterally outwardly from the wall 21 of the car 10. As seen in Fig. 2, the operating lever 33 is in vertical alignment with the arm 20 of the coupler 12. The operating lever 33 is mounted behind the wall 21 and projects outwardly therefrom through a laterally extending slot 34 in the wall 21 of the car 10. The rear end of the operating lever 33, which is disposed behind the wall 21, is formed with a vertical sleeve 35, which is disposed within a frame 36. A vertical pin 37 extends through the frame 36 and the sleeve 35 thereby providing a vertical axis about which the operating lever 33 can oscillate to follow the oscillatory movement of the coupler 12 and thereby maintain its vertical alignment with the arm 20 of the coupler 12.

The frame 36 is formed with laterally extending studs 38, 38' located on opposite sides of the frame 36 in order to mount the frame 36 for oscillation about a horizontal axis. Yoke elements 39 are secured to the rear side of the wall 21, as by welding or like means, and are spaced a sufiicient distance one from the other to receive the frame 36 therebetween. The studs 38, 38' are received by the yoke members 39 and supported thereby for a limited amount of oscillation. Pins 40 extend through the ends of legs 41 of the yoke members 39 and serve to secure the studs 38 in the yoke members 39. As best seen in Fig. 2, the stud 38' extends a substantial distance beyond its associated yoke member 39 and, at its end, has secured thereto a crank 42. The crank 42 in turn is connected to the piston rod 43 of a hydraulic cylinder and piston mechanism 44.

The hydraulic cylinder and piston mechanism 44 may be operated from a remote position on the locomotive 10 or car 11 by means of devices known in the art. Reciprocation of the piston rod 43 downwardly with respect to the cylinder and piston mechanism 44 oscillates the crank 42. This in turn oscillates the frame 36 and the operating lever 33, it being understood that the operating lever 33 oscillates in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. As a result of such oscillation of the operating lever 33, the link 30 is raised and the lock lever 24- is rotated in a clockwise position on its pin 25, This causes withdrawal or retraction of the lock 15 in opposition to the spring 19 and all that is required beyond this to disengage the couplers 12 on adjacent cars is to cause said cars to move apart.

The coupler releasing means of the instant invention provides a rigid link type device which is mounted for swinging movement on a vertical axis which is common with the vertical axis about which the coupler swings, whereby the releasing means exactly follows the swinging movement of the coupler and is operative to release the coupler lock in all positions of the coupler.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and applicant therefore wishes not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of the invention, what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a car adapted to be joined to another like car, a wall at one end of the car, coupling means projecting beyond the front of said wall and comprising a coupler jaw adapted to engage with a like mating coupler jaw, a lock in the coupler jaw, a lock lever for releasing the lock, said coupler jaw being pivotally mounted on an upright axis behind the wall for swinging movement in a transversely extending plane, means for operating the lock lever to release the lock comprising an operating lever extending through the wall, a link connecting the operating lever to the lock lever, an open rectangular frame mounted on the wall above the axis of the coupler jaw, laterally extending studs secured to opposite sides of the rectangular frame for pivotally mounting the frame on a transverse axis, a pivot pin pivotally mounting the operating lever within the rectangular frame on an upright axis coincident with the axis of the coupler jaw for swinging movement of the operating lever in a transverse plane with the coupler jaw, and a crank connected to one of the laterally extending studs to oscillate the rectangular frame for actuating the operating lever to release the lock.

2. In a car adapted to be joined to another like car, a wall at one end of the car, coupling means projecting beyond the front of said wall and comprising a coupler jaw adapted to engage with a like mating coupler jaw, a lock in the coupler jaw, a lock lever for releasing the lock, said coupler jaw being pivotally mounted on an upright axis behind the wall for swinging movement in a transversely extending plane, means for operating the lock lever to release the lock comprising an operating lever extending through the wall, a link connecting the operating lever to the lock lever, an open rectangular frame mounted on the wall above the axis of the coupler jaw, laterally extending studs secured to opposite sides of the rectangular frame for pivotally mounting the frame on a transverse axis, a pivot pin pivotally mounting the operating lever within the rectangular frame on an upright axis coincident with the axis of the coupler jaw for swinging movement of the operating lever in a transverse plane with the coupler jaw, a crank connected to one of the laterally extending studs to oscillate the rectangular frame for actuating the operating lever to release the lock, and hydraulic cylinder and piston means operatively connected to said crank for operating the crank and oscillating said rectangular frame member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 566,398 Hyde Aug. 25, 1896 746,838 Hone Dec. 15, 1903 808,651 Grafstrom Jan. 2, 1906 1,063,631 Westinghouse June 3, 1913 1,571,222 Woernley Feb. 2, 1926 1,607,251 Easter Nov.-16, 1926 2,104,865 Johnson et al. 1311.11, 1938 2,107,376 Hoke Feb. 8, 1938 2,146,220 Larson Feb. 7, 1939 

